13 BATMAN Toys We Want to See Re-Released

A few weeks ago, I posted a story listing 13 classic toys we’d love to see re-released. I say “we” because it was inspired by an online conversation I was having with reader Tyrone Biljan. (Click here to check out the list because if you’re reading this, you’ll dig it.)

Anyway, Tyrone decided to get on the act himself — only he chose to focus his efforts strictly on Batman, who of course has had a Bat-ton of merch over the decades. He also decided to rank his choices, 13-1. Cool by me. (He’s Canadian, by the way, so I’ve left in his spellings. I’m polite like that.)

Naturally, a lot of this stuff is available on the secondary market, and not necessarily all that expensive. But there’s nothing quite like being able to get something fresh and new, hence our desire to see some enterprising company pick up the baton on these.

So, here’s Tyrone and his list of 13 BATMAN TOYS WE WANT TO SEE RE-RELEASED:

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By TYRONE BILJAN

Dan’s list had some of my recommendations when we were messaging back and forth. (Click here.) But I wanted to be a little narrower in scope, specific only to some of my favourite Batman collectibles that I think others would enjoy seeing on store shelves or pegs or via an online retailer. This list was also inspired by my recent visit to the amazing Batman TV show exhibit at the Hollywood Museum in Los Angeles. (Click here for MUCH more on that.)

Here we go!

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13. Topps Batman photo cards. Abrams ComicArts has published hardcover books highlighting Topps’ Star Trek (click here), Star Wars (click here) and Planet of the Apes (click here) bubble-gum cards. It would great to see the Batman photo series cards represented too — or as a reprint card set! The artwork cards that came out around the same time are fantastic, but they have been rereleased in various formats over the years. Bring back the Bat Laffs cards!

From eBay, like most of these photos.

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12. Batman parachute figure. This I first saw in a discount store called Zellers in Grimsby, Ontario. It was on an aisle peg-rack display in the early ’70s. For me it is one of the perfect collectibles, with its great mid-’60s logo at the top and printed on the parachute. (There were variations, with red and, I think, green plastic parachutes. Mine was the yellow one.) Also I thought it cool that the figure had the Bat logo without the circle around it.

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11. 1966 Batman three-ring binder. I remember seeing kids with this at school and I thought it was so cool. The scallops on the bottom — and the design entire design of it. There was kind of a variation of it in the early ’90s based on the Bruce Timm animated series.

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10. Aurora Penguin model kit. Hands down, one of the best Bat-model kits next to the Batmobile. I got mine at a hobby/hardware store in Stoney Creek, Ontario. You could see it sitting there on the shelf for years — and I mean years — next to the Aurora Wonder Woman kit of the ’60s. I never painted mine. I liked the look of it just the way it was. (Though I think I used some of the decals.)

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9. Ben Cooper costume/mask. Ben Cooper is sort of going through a resurrection these days, and acknowledging its licensing past too. I hope they find a way to rerelease this not as a kids’ costume but maybe as a Figures Toy Company figure or an adult onesie!

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8. Ben Cooper rubber Batman figure on a string. Yeah, it’s cheap looking and odd but I just love it for what it is. Again, a favourite as a kid but lost to time. I found it again at a comic convention in the mid-’90s.

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7. APC jigsaw puzzles in a can. There were various releases of these around 1973. My fave was the one with the Carmine Infantino/Murphy Anderson art of Batman and Robin on a rooftop. (There were others too, both in cans and boxes, such as Neal Adams’ Batman punching out the Joker.)

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6. Ideal cape and cowl. The cowl is a great display piece. You can get them reasonably on auction sites if you look. Box design is great too.

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5. Batman Pez with cape. The 1966 Batman Pez head pretty much was unchanged for multiple releases all over the world up until the mid ’90s. But the Holy Grail is the figure with the cape. I’m actually surprised this hasn’t popped up as a bobble-head or large bank.

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4. Corgi 1966 Batboat. The one with the black metal tail fin and mini Batman and Robin figures. I think I went through several them as a kid. It went in the backyard pool and floated no problem. The original Corgi release was the best with the trailer.

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3. Colorforms Batman kit. Dan covered this one, as well. Colorforms has been saluting its past, with re-releases including Snoopy Come Home and the original generic set. Can the classic Batman kit be far behind?

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2. 1973 Carmine Infantino Batman poster. I had this poster for years in my room as a kid and it was lost to time. The Infantino/Anderson artwork is classic against a purple background with the Batsignal in the sky.

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1. Corgi 1966 Batmobile. The original release, with the cool box graphics. The Bat-wheels with the “fire” moving in and out of the back by the trailer hitch. The firing rockets, the chain cutter. Infantino Batman figure on the bottom. A classic for every Bat-fan!

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11 Comments

Sweet list! I don’t think I’ve ever seen some of these. I still have my 1966 Batcave with some of the little figures like Thunderbolt (odd as he was Justice Society related). AND my Batman and Robin Society button.

I remember having the Batman bubble bath dispenser and Batman hand puppet. I had the Colorforms kit too.

Definitely agree with #13. I own the “Mars Attack” book and have always thought the Batman cards would be a natural. The advantage of the book is that the art is reproduced at a larger size than the cards. If they publishers can obtain the original negatives (which they did for “Mars Attack”) it will be a fabulous viewing experience.

I had almost every one of those. I know I didn’t have the helmet, but I had way more Batman merch than I recalled. I also has Batman Color Forms, a neck tie, model cars, I believe a Batman Aurora model, a large Batman plush toy, coloring book, pencils and erasers, plastic figures, sticker book, school book covers, glassware, and even bat sunglasses. I had a birthday party one year where almost every gift was Batman.

I would actually love to see more Batgirl items available as well! I have the 1966 Heritage Batgirl costume which was released a few years back and it is perfect! I have worn it a couple of times and it is always a hit!!
I remember having a Batman jacket that had different images all over it in blue, red and yellow and black on a white background which I LOVED! It was sold as a ‘boy’s jacket’, but I didn’t care! I love the original Batman! I just recently found my Batman hand puppet, but I sure would be over the moon to find that jacket!

I had the Colorforms and the Ben Cooper costume in ’66, and the Aurora model of Batman and three-ring binder in the mid-70s. All are lost to the ages. I don’t have much room (or budget) for bat-loot these days, but it’s fun to see these goodies again. Thanks for the reminders.